That’s the theme of the podcast series I started several weeks ago. Most people either simply read the Bible like a cereal box, with no intent to analyze it, or like a textbook, which is sure to kill off curiosity. I began the series talking about how critical it is to take the Bible in its own context, not a context that is familiar to us, like modern evangelicalism or the Reformation. I’m transitioning now to another important area of study: learning to read the Bible in terms of the various types of literature found in its pages.

In this episode, we’ll talk about how to read narrative intelligently. I recommend reading it like fiction — like you would read a novel. Read it like the writer had an agenda or a plan – because he did.

This post originally appeared on The Naked Bible blog on 8/18/12. It can be read in its entirety here.